


Blank State

by DinRedfire



Category: Eternal Arcadia | Skies of Arcadia
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Amnesia, Awkward Romance, Crush at First Sight, Doc has a name, Doc is a disaster gay, Love at First Sight, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-28
Updated: 2018-11-28
Packaged: 2019-09-01 17:12:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16769395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DinRedfire/pseuds/DinRedfire
Summary: Ramirez is found and brought to the Aquila, but he doesn't have any memories. Doc makes sure to help him create new ones.





	Blank State

Working as a military doctor on Admiral Mendosa’s flagship made Doc a jaded person at quite an early age. One day he was doing the annual checkup on the admiral’s family, the next day he was amputating a soldier’s leg after an awful accident in the Ixa’Takan jungle. He devoted himself selflessly to his work regardless, thinking nothing would surprise him anymore.

How wrong he was.

He was called to the deck one afternoon after they had found an unidentified object in their way. They realized after moving closer that it was some kind of ship - the strangest one they had ever seen. It was not Valuan and way too advanced to be Ixa’Takan. What was the most surprising, though, was the person they found unconscious in the ship. Two soldiers followed the doctor, carrying a stretcher. Carefully, with the aid of another guard, Doc moved the patient on the stretcher. He was surprisingly light…

“He must have hit his head pretty hard in the wreck. Bring him to my office.”

“Y-Yes sir!”

Walking beside him, Doc glanced at the unconscious young man. He looked like he was barely an adult, but looks could be deceiving. He was tall but delicate, his skin even more pale than the average Valuan. Considering how rarely there was any sunlight in his home country, that was saying something. And his clothes… Immaculately white and covered in golden symbols. He really looked like he didn’t belong to this world. His face looked almost… holy.

_Moons, what am I thinking._

Doc shook his head, chasing away his silly thoughts. As soon as the patient was lowered on the bed, he devoted himself to checking his vitals. His heartbeat and breathing were regular, but what worried him was the injury on his head. He had a small open wound staining his otherwise flawless silver hair. Doc had to wonder what the man’s eyes looked like. Would he have as equally colorless eyes to complete his ethereal appearance?

_Come on, he’s just another human being,_ Doc reminded himself.

“At least he’s not suffering from any internal bleeding,’’ he commented as he finished treating the stranger’s injury.

The patient’s life was not in danger. That was a miracle in itself. His ship looked so... fragile compared to the Valuan flagship. The more he thought about it, the more intrigued he was. Where was this guy even from?

Slowly, the patient stirred. Waking up, Doc met the most breathtaking emerald eyes he’d ever seen. They looked at him with curiosity, which slowly bloomed into confusion and fear.

“Relax, you’re safe. We found you shipwrecked and brought you here for treatment.”

The patient didn’t reply at first, as if he was paralyzed in fear. Doc scratched at his head, furrowing his brow. What if he didn’t even understand their language? Awkwardly, he made another attempt.

“I’m here to help you. Do you understand?”

The young man nodded slowly, making Doc let out a sigh of relief. Good, he wasn’t really in the mood to play charades in order to make himself understood.

“Great. You can call me Doc, so what is your name?”

The patient lowered his head, a confused expression still on his face. Doc nearly gave up on receiving any kind of answers before the young man opened his mouth to speak. His voice was surprisingly deep.

“I… I don’t know”

Doc needed a moment to get out of his stupor.

“You don’t know?” he echoed.

The young man grasped at his head, shutting his eyes tightly. He was visibly trying to remember something, anything.

“I… I can’t remember.”

He was shaking, and his voice was breaking. Instinctively, Doc placed his hands on the young man’s shoulders.

“H-Hey, easy. Take a deep breath… You hit your head pretty hard, that must be the cause of your amnesia… Don’t force yourself to remember right away. It’ll be okay.”

The patient nodded once again, still trembling like a newborn. He must have felt like one too, being thrown into an unknown place and not even knowing about himself. Doc couldn’t help but feel sympathy for him, offering him a gentle smile, his eyes unknowingly softening.

The stranger broke eye contact again, clearing his throat.

“You said you found me in a shipwreck?” he muttered, still looking away.

Doc found himself staring again at his eyes before forcing himself to get his mind out of… wherever it was. _Come on, focus a little._

“Y-Yeah, the ship is still on the deck if you want to take a look. That might help jog your memory a little,” he suggested, scratching at his head again.

The patient nodded, slowly rising for the bed. Immediately, Doc rushed to his side.

“Take your time. I’ll help you up.”

Was it his imagination, or did the man's pale cheeks gain some more color? He was just helping the patient to stand. Nothing else. It was strictly professional. The younger male leaned on him as he stood on unsteady feet.

“I’m… sorry,” he said in a quiet voice.

At this point, Doc had to focus heavily to hear him.

“D-Don’t worry about it,” Doc stammered.

He wrapped an arm around the patient’s shoulder, keeping him still as he walked stiffly. The stranger was glancing around frenetically. Everything looked so alien to him -- the doctor had to wonder if he would have reacted the same way even without the amnesia. He really did look out of place here. Some soldiers turned their heads to watch as they passed them by. Doc shot them a hard glare, making them look away. Their guest didn’t need any more staring. _How about you do the same?_ he reminded himself.

It was embarrassing to say the least. It's not like this was his first handsome patient.

Whoa, whoa, time out. Did he just think _handsome?_!

“Um… Doc? I think I’ll be fine walking by myself.”

The young man had flinched, probably because the doctor subconsciously tightened his grip on him. He let him go immediately, thankful. Maybe that would help him get his thoughts in order.

What was happening to him?

Being in the open, humid air of Ixa’Taka would do him some good, he thought as they stepped on the deck, taking the liberty to unbutton his shirt. He kept it professionally closed when he was inside and on duty, but right now he felt like he really needed air. The patient stepped toward the strange ship in cautious steps, as if fearing it would explode.

The engineer of the Aquila’s crew hung his head in defeat.

“I really can’t make any sense of that thing. It’s the strangest ship I’ve ever seen.”

The young man turned his head toward the engineer with a hurt expression.

“Strange?” he echoed.

Dammit, the guy really looked like a beaten up Huskra, making Doc feel even more sorry for him. Before he even realized it, he had intervened.

“H-Hey, it’s kinda rude to call it strange don’t you think? It sure is unique… But that’s what makes it interesting.”

Doc wanted to punch himself as both the engineer and the patient were giving odd looks.

“...R-Riiight. I’ll go report to the admiral. If you’ll excuse me, Doctor.”

The engineer walked past him to go back to the bridge. Doc let out a sigh and tried to show a sympathetic smile to his patient.

“Don’t let it get to you. People are going to give you some curious looks, but they mean well most of the time. I should let you meet Admiral Mendosa later; he’ll want to know how you’re doing.”

The stranger looked uneasy again, holding his arm.

“No one will interrogate you. Rest assured. You’re not a prisoner here, you know. I meant what I said: We’re here to help you. We can’t really abandon you with your ship broken and no memories. I can already tell you’re not from these lands, so I don’t think the locals will be of much help either.”

Despite his awkwardness, the patient seemed to relax. His lips even formed a soft smile.

“This is strange...” he breathed.

“What is?”

Their eyes met again as the stranger showed him the purest, warmest smile he’s ever seen. It made Doc’s heart skip a beat.

“I don’t know you… I don’t even know who I am and yet… I feel at ease with you”

Moons, Doc needed some water all of the sudden.

Then, out of nowhere, the stranger’s expression changed, going on full alert.

“What’s wr--”

“Behind you!”

Doc barely had time to register what happened that the young man launched himself at him. Both collapsed to the steel ground, the doctor landing on his back with the white-clad young man on top of him. Then, he saw what looked like a cloud of pollen. Furrowing his brows, Doc instinctively covered his mouth and the patient with his other hand.

A Roseln. These monsters had been a pain even for the most seasoned soldiers because of their poisonous pollen and tough skin. The pair rolled to the floor, avoiding another attack, unfortunately, the Roseln was standing between them and the bridge’s door.

They just needed to buy some time before the guards showed up to take care of this thing.

The patient extended his arm in front of Doc in a protective manner. He was the more delicate of the two, and he was injured as well -- what was he thinking?! Doc froze when he noticed the man’s eyes. All warmth gone from them, glaring at the creature and sending a chill down his own spine.

What happened next was even harder to register.

His arm shone and a strange, silver fluid materialized seemingly out of nowhere and spun around it before taking shape into a long, sharp blade in the man’s hand. Doc held his breath, his words lost as he could barely see the man move before the monster fell. He stood, frozen in place, even as the sword disappeared as mysteriously as it had appeared.

Then, the patient looked at him again, with a worried expression. All gentleness had returned to his eyes. And Doc could breathe again, but his heart didn’t calm down.

“W-W-Whoa… What was that?”

The young man bit his lip, looking extremely uneasy.

“I… I moved on my own. I... I really don’t know,” he stammered, his eyes downcast again.

Doc placed his hands on his shoulders.

“Well, you saved my life. Heh, I guess we’re even,” he smiled gently.

His patient looked up to him in disbelief, like a child being miraculously spared a punishment.

“Let’s keep this between us,” the doctor winked.

The young man’s jaw dropped, his eyes widening before smiling, his cheeks tinted pink again. Moons…

“Thank you, Doc.”

“...You can call me Amir.”

“Amir...” The young man breathed, sending a shiver on the doctor’s body.

Moons, why did he liked the way his name sounded in that guy’s voice so much?!

They were getting uncomfortably close too, but neither of them stepped away.

“I wish I knew my own name,” he said with a soft, apologetic voice.

“... What would you think if I gave you a temporary one?”

_What are you doing, Amir?! This guy isn’t your kid or your pet Huskra!_

The patient, however was positively beaming, his eyes brightening.

“What do you have in mind?” he asked excitedly.

Moons all mighty. Amir sucked in a shaky breath, his hands still on the younger man’s shoulder as he looked up to him expectantly.

“...Ramirez… In Valuan, it means protector. ...I-I thought it fitting.” Amir looked away, feeling his face burning up.

“Rami--rez… Ramirez...”

He repeated the name, his eyes closed as if savoring it. Amir gulped, his eyes wandering on the man’s lips as he chanted the name. He really hoped it went unnoticed as the silver-haired youth opened his eyes again, smiling in a way that made his heart sway.

“I love it. It… It feels familiar, somehow. I shall be Ramirez for you, Amir.”

Why, why, _why_ did he have to say it like that?! Amir stepped slowly away, clearing his throat and reluctantly buttoning up his shirt despite how hot he felt.

“Well then, Ramirez, let’s introduce you to the captain of this ship.”

* * *

The day couldn’t have been more embarrassing. Doc closed the door behind him, trying to steady his breath as he got rid of his doctor’s white coat and shirt. First, he was fawning over some poor guy with amnesia who came from who knew where and could do some kind of mysterious magic. Then, he proceeded to go on a first name basis and _name_ the guy. Also, what the hell was up with him jumping in to defend that foreign ship?!

He let his head rest against the cold, steel wall, containing himself from just banging his head against it.

“'That’s what makes it interesting'?!… Dammit, Amir!”

He was so pathetic.

Amir had found himself nearly jumping with joy when the admiral allowed the patient -- Ramirez -- to stay with them. He, too, seemed to find their guest endearing. Pretty much everyone who talked to Ramirez seemed to like the guy. He was just so… innocent and genuinely warm. Ramirez would be the kind of guy who’d make a lot of friends -- he was probably chatting with the guys he shared the orlop deck with at the moment.

Amir let out a frustrated sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. He didn’t need any more medical attention; he was free to go around the Aquila and make friends as he pleased.

A knock came to his door, and for a split second, Amir considered just ignoring them and pretending to sleep… before reminding himself that he was a doctor. Sighing, he walked to the door, not bothering to put on his shirt. He’ll just look like he was about to go sleep. He hoped it wasn’t some poor guy having caught dysentery.

Amir opened the door and he felt his throat tightening. Suddenly, he regretted not being… presentable.

“Ramirez… W-What is it?”

The young man averted his eyes immediately.

“I’m sorry, did I come at a bad time?”

“No! Please, come in!”

Okay, no, that _really_ came out as desperate. _Nice one again, Amir, you’re on a roll!_

Ramirez nodded, stepping in the room.

“What can I do for you?” Amir asked, trying to sound as casual and platonic as possible.

“I needed to see you,” Ramirez admitted, and the doctor felt a knot forming in his stomach.

“I… couldn’t sleep,” the young man added.

Doc sat down, scratching thoughtfully at his head. It was understandable, the guy was still in a foreign place full of strangers and the orlop deck probably wasn’t the ideal place to sleep. The beds were probably not as comfortable as the higher-ranking officers'.

“Everyone is so kind to me, but… I’m not used to this. I mean, it feels strange, being surrounded by so much people, hearing everyone talking and breathing in the same room. It’s overwhelming.”

Amir’s face softened.

“You must have lived a pretty lonely life,” he commented.

“...Maybe. I still feel like I’m forgetting something very important. There’s something I have to do. Something only I can do. ...I try to remember… But it hurts…”

As he spoke, Ramirez’s breathing grew even more erratic as he grasped at his silver hair. He hunched over as panic took over him.

Amir stood up and instinctively wrapped his arms around Ramirez.

“Ramirez, stop! You don’t have to force yourself. You’re here. You’re in the present right now!”

He could feel the young man’s heavy breathing against his bare chest. His hand stroked the smooth hair as he tried to soothe him.

“You will find out in due time… But you know, Ramirez. Even if you don’t retrieve your memories… You can still make new ones. The past doesn’t define you, you know?”

Amir didn’t know what he was saying. He was just desperate to help Ramirez. Seeing him so distressed made his heart hurt so much. How did he allow it to happen so soon?!

...So soon…

He was starting to see his own feelings as something inevitable. As if sooner or later, he couldn’t do anything else but love and care for this man. Love… Amir felt his face burn up again.

_I’m such an idiot._

Ramirez raised his head to meet his gaze, his deep green eyes welling up as he just stared at Amir with an awed expression.

“Amir...” He breathed.

This was getting out of hand. Amir knew he had to step back, but his body refused to obey him, still holding firmly onto Ramirez. He was so close, their noses almost touched. Moons, he still didn’t look real. Ramirez really seemed to step out of those old Valuan scriptures featuring mysterious and beautiful, ethereal creatures. The younger mouth was slightly open as he let out short, raspy breath. Amir froze in shock as Ramirez’s soft lips met his own. His thoughts seemed to melt away and his head felt light. He found himself holding onto Ramirez for support, fearing his knees would fail him.

Their lips separated and Amir could do nothing but stare in disbelief. Ramirez had just kissed him. Good senses told him to step away. He was a doctor, he had met the man today for moon’s sake, and as a patient nonetheless. But his heart was craving more and it was getting harder to ignore.

Ramirez broke eye contact, his normally pale face flushing.

“I’m so sorry… I-- I shouldn’t have done this. You…”

What?

Ramirez looked like he was about to cry in shame from what he just did.

“I… I don’t want you to hate me, but I understand if you--”

Oh. Amir felt like slapping himself. Dammit, he hated his indecisiveness. He opened his mouth, but no words came. He wanted to explain. He needed to reassure Ramirez. He…

_Oh, to hell with it all._

Before Ramirez stepped away, Amir closed the gap between them, his lips pressing against the young man’s. They felt so soft against his. He parted his lips with his tongue, desperate to taste him.

“Mmm...”

Ramirez let out a muffled, surprised moan as the kiss deepened, but he soon returned it, his arms wrapping around Amir's body. They eventually broke contact, both gasping for air, gazing into each other’s eyes.

“Thank you, Amir… I will never forget this.”


End file.
